Article

Why me?

Author(s):

Carrie Corey

"Why me?"I stirred up some controversy in my last article about having a genetic predisposition for cancer. Apparently I opened a huge can of worms with the article's opening statement:"Even the most well-adjusted cancer patient can't help but ask, 'Why me?'" Do you ever ask the question, "Why me?" And if you do, do you think about all the good in your life and the fact you didn't deserve to get cancer? I personally think it's a natural, human thought, simply because NO ONE DESERVES TO GET CANCER.I am not ashamed to admit it – sometimes I look at a neighbor or a friend and think, "Why me, and why not her?" It's not because I feel sorry for myself or think bad things should only happen to other people. And while I don't believe I was "chosen" to spend the majority of my life fighting a battle with cancer, I do think there is more to all of this than just a roll of the dice.For me, asking, "Why me?" has nothing to do with religion, morality or philosophy. It's about unlocking the mystery of why people get cancer in the first place. Did I make choices to cause this? Is there something I could have done differently? What can I do to prevent this from happening again? Cancer treatment is very literally a fight for your life, and information is one of the most powerful tools we have in that fight. If we know why one person gets cancer while another one doesn't, we will be better prepared to fight, prevent and CURE cancer. If one in two men and one in three women will receive a cancer diagnosis in his/her lifetime, millions of lives might be saved if we all ask the simple question, "Why me?"Carrie Corey is a wife, mom and metastatic breast cancer survivor. She will be reporting in frequently on her journey.

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